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. Y REGULATOR FORELEGTRIG CIRCUITS. No. 359,739. Patented Mar. Z2, 1887. f v w w//vEsSES.- a lign/70.9

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Y REGULATOR EOE ELECTRIC GIEGUITS. No. 359,739. Patented Main-,22, 1887.

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3 Sheets-Sheet 3. J. A, POWERS. REGULATOR FOR ELECTRIC IRUITS.

Patented Mar. 22, 1887.

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v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH A. POVERS, OF TROY, NEV YORK.

REGULATOR FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 359,739, dared March 22,1887.

Application tiled October' 8, 1866.

To all whom z5 may concern.-

Beit known that I, JOSEPH A. POWERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Troy, in the county of Rensselaer and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Regulators for Electric Oircuits, of which the following is a specilication, reference being had to t-hc drawings accompanying and forming a part of the same.

This invention is an improvement in apparatus for use in an electrical distributing system, as a means of regulating the system or compensating for the removal or insertion of one or more of the working devices therein.

The particular system for which the invention is designed is one in which an electric circuit is divided at any point into two or more branches, and two or more working devices, such as incandescent lamps or electromagnetic motors, are run in series in each of the said branches. The function of the apparatus is to maintain a balance between the several branches of the circuit, and in such a way that the total resistance of any circuit shall be maintained the same as that of the branch which has the highest working` resistance.

In carrying` out the system to which my invention relates a given circuit is divided into two or more branches, and a given number of lamps or other -working devices is placed in series in each branch, the number and character of the said devices, whenever practicable, being such that the aggregate resistance of the lamps in each branch shall average about the same. Fach lamp is provided with a shunting switch, or, preferably, two shnnting switches-one automatic, the other manualso that while the continuity of a branch circuit is preserved when lamps are cut out, the resistance will be lowered. In order to maintain the proper relative distribution of current through the branches, and to equalize all the resistances with the highest working resistance, a variable resistance or rheostat is used in conjunction with each branch of the circuit and an electro-magnet is included in circuit with it. Proper mechanism is used, by means of which the rheostats are raised by the electro-magnets in a way to effect the results above described.

My present invention comprises improvements upon these devices; and it consists, rst,

Serial No. 215,649. (No model.)

in a device for regulating and balancing an arbitrary number of branch circuits; second, in the combination, with the variable resistances or rheostats, of devices for moving or shiftin g the contact-arms of the same, the electro-magnets being employed merely to control these means and not to operate directly upon the rheostats; third, in a novel combination of devices for regulating asystem for containing an arbitrary number of branches, and, fourth, in the combination, with a branched circuit containing balancing devices, as above set forth, of an idle or safety circuit and means for substituting the same for an active or working branch in case of the interruption of the latter. the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a diagram of a system of the kind described, showing the principle of construction and application of my improved regulator or balancing device. Fig. 2 is a modified form of balancing device. Fig. 3 is adiagram of the system, illustrating the idle-branch and cut-out mechanism. Fig. et is a diagrammatic view of the switch mechanism employed' with each lamp.

The apparatus shown in Fig. 1 is designed for use with a circuit divided into any number of branches. Let A represent such a circuit, which, at any point desired, near to or remote from the generator B, is divided into a certain number of branches, O D E F. In each branch a group of incandescent lamps Gis included in series, and a regulator-such, forexample, as indicated in Fig. 3 by H-is combined with the generator and constructed to maintain a uniform liow of current in the circuit, whatever may be the external or working resistance.

rIhe branches O D E F are severed and their wires connected, respectively, to the arms I J of rheostats L, of which M are the insulated plates, to which the resistance-coils are connected in the usual manner. As shown, each rheostat is provided with two arms carrying contactsprings a, and the arms in each rheostat are insulated from one another, so that the greater the angle of divergence between any pair of arms the greater the number of resistance-coils, or the higher the resistance that will be interposed in the branch of the circuit with which said arms are connected. One

These improvements are illustrated in ICO arm, J, of each pair is loosely mounted upon a shaft, but is connected to the shaft by-a coiled spring, N, that imparts to it a tendency to turn in a direction, say, from right to left. The several arms J are further connected together by a rigid bar, O, to which they are pivoted, so that they all move in unison and all stand at the same angle. The impelling power imparted to the arms J by the springs N may be obtained in many other ways than by means of the said springs.

The arms I are secured to their respective shafts b, and are combined with mechanism that causes them to assume different positions for every change of current strength. This mechanism, while it may be varied indelinitely in construction,is composed,essentially,of two parts-viz., means for shifting the arms I in either direction, andan electro-magnetici1 controlling said means. I have selected in illustration of thisa form of regulating mechanism described and shown in a patentof the United States granted to Edward W'eston, No. 316,089, dated April 21, 1885. This mechanism is driven continuously by an independent source of power, as by a belt, I?, and the rotations of the pulley-wheel Q impart, by means of an eccentric-pin and connecting-arm, It, an oscillating movement to two pawls placed in posi-.

tion to operate upon two ratchet-disks, S. An electromagnet, T, with pivoted armature V, throws one pawl or the other into engagement with its disk or maintains both out of engagement with the disks, according to the current and strength of the said magnet. The armature-lever is connected with the pivoted frame carrying the pawls by means of a rod, V. Thus, if there is an increase of current in the magnet it causes the arm I to move to the left, adding resistance to the circuit until the current becomes normal again, while the converse takes place on a weakening of the current.

In the drawings this device is shown only in connection with one branch, conventional igures being used to indicate itin connection with the others. The same or similar apparatus is to be used, however, with each branch, and the magnets T are included in the branches, preferably between the arms I and the main circuit. The resistance which any of the rheostats is capable of introducing into the circuit should be equal to the maximum working resistance of such circuits.

The operation of this device is as follows, assuming that in each branch the full number of lamps is burning and that the several branches are of practically the same resistance under such condition: The arms J are set at the right-hand ends of the plates M and the arms I will be moved over toward them until the resistance of the rheostats is reduced to a minimum, and the normal current will be passing through the coils ot' the magnets T. If, then, in any branch ,as C, one or more lamps be shunted out of circuit, the resistance of that branch is lowered and the magnet, acquiring a greater strength, causes the rheostat-armI to move to the left until a resistance is thus introduced that brings the current back to normal. The same action takes place in any other branch under like conditions. At all times the angle or position of the arms J is determined by theposition of the arm I of the rheostat which is connected with that branch which has the highest working resistance, and which in consequence is ina position to insert the smallest amount of artificial resistance in circuit. For example, assume that more or less lamps are shunted out of all the branches, except that lettered D in Fig. 1. The arms I of such branches will be moved to positions on their respective rheostats where they insert just sutlicient resistance to balance all the branches. Noneof the arms Jwill move, however, because there has been no change in the resistance of branch D, and the arm J ot that brauch is prevented from moving by its accompanying arm, I. The resistance of each branch will therefore be adjusted to correspond with the resistance of branch D 5 but now assume that one or more lamps are turned ott' from branch D. The resistance of this branch being thereby lowered, the arm of its rheostat isshifted to the left. It is ofcourse followed by the arm J, which is impelled to the lei't by its coiled spring. The movement ot' the said arm J causes a corresponding movementof all the other arms designated J, so that equal parts of resistance are simultaneously removed from all the branches. The regulator at the machine, responding to this reduction of resistance, reduces the current correspondingly, keeping it at normal, so that there is or should be no movement of any of the arms I, except that in circuit D.

Should the number of lamps removed, as above stated, from branch D be so smallas not to reduce the resistance ol" said branch below that of any others, its two arms will stop as soon as the normal current flows through its regulating-magnet, and this iixes the standard by which all the other rcsistances are adj usted. On the other hand, should the number' ot' lamps removed from D be sut'ticient to reduce its resistance below that of one of the other branches, its two arms will move until the arm J of that branch which has the highest resistance stops and arrests the movement of all the other arms J. The arm I ol branch D will then proceed alone until it has inserted a resistance in D sui'iicient to bring its total resist ance up to the new standard. In a similar way the bar O and arms J maybe shil'ted over to the right by the insertion of lamps in that branch which has at the ti me the highest working resistance.

\Vhen a circuit is divided intotwo branches or into two pairs of branches, I use with cach pair an apparatus shown in Fig. 2. In this ligure the circuit is shown as divided into two branches,11 and 12, the ends ot' the branches being connected, respectively,to the end plates of two series 0f contact-plates on a curved in- IOO IIO

`springs 28 or 29.

sulating-bar, S. The end plates, m, to which the branch wires are connected, are longer than the others, and occupy about one-half the length of the bar S'. The other plates` are the ordinary rheostat contact-plates, and are connected together and to the longer plates, m, byresistance-coils. The arrangement of plates and coils on opposite sides ofthe bar S' is the same, except that the longer plates are at opposite ends.

M' M" are two helices, into which extend cores N' N". The latter are suspended from a pivoted lever, A, which carries two conducting-arms, L', insulated from one another and provided with brushes p, that make contact with the resistance-plates on bar S.

P is a dash-pot connected to lever A', to prevent sudden movement of the same.

From the two arms L extend conductors 20 and 2l to a double helix or a pair of helices,O O", secured to a suitable stand or frame. The opposite ends of these helices are united in a conductor, 23, that connects with one of two guide-rods, as f, extending from opposite ends of a core, c', suspended within the helices by an adjustable spring, NV. The other rod, f', carries a contact-plate, 27, upon which press the twosprings 28 29, and which is limited in its movement by suitable stops. Conductors 30 and 31 lead from the aforesaid springs to the coils M M", and there unite in wire 10 back to the generator.

By'removing a certain number of lamps from one of the branches of the circuit, the currents which pass through the helices O' O" become uneven, being stronger in one than in the other. This raises or lowers the core c', as the case may be, so that the plate 27 leaves one of the The effect of this is to throw the current'through one or the other of the coils M' M", until, by the movement of the arms L', the proper balance is secured.

4To provide against a rupture or failure of any branch in a system of this character, I insert in each of said branches a shunting or cut-out magnet, \V', Fig. 3. These magnets are provided with contact-making armatures w, which are held up while any current is flowing, but which fall on the breaking ofthe circuit upon contact-stopsw' in an idle-branch circuit, 14. Thus if one of the branches 11 or '12 should be broken, the circuit 14 takes its place andthe equalizer' operates to balance it with the other branch, so that the working of the system is not seriously interfered with.

That the circuit or branches may not be in terrupted by the extinguishinent of the lamps, each of the latter is provided .with switches, andI prefer to use both manual and automatic shunting-switches. Any form of n1anual switch may be employed, and its arrangecontact with a soft-iron block, F", by the attraction of the magnctV', produced by a break in the circuit between the terminals of the shunt. The block F is connected with the main circuit on one side of a lamp and the bar D" with the circuit on the other side through the coil E", so that when the bar and block are brought into contact they will be held so by the magnetism imparted to the bar.

I am aware of the application of Fred. A. Cheney, filed September 28,1886, No. 214,728, and do not claim the invention therein described and claimed by him-that is to say, I

do not here claim, broadly, the method of balancing` the two or more branches of a circuit containing devices in series by equalizing the resistauces of such branches with that having the highest working resistance, nor do I herein claim, generally, apparatus capable of automatically effecting this; but

IVhat I claim is* l. The combination, with a circuit divided -into branches, of translating devices included in series in such branches, rheostats of variable resistance adapted to be connected with each branch, regulating devices for varying said resistances and equalizing the resistauces of the branches, and electro-magnets or helices included in the branches for controlling the operation of the regulating devices, as set forth.

2. .The combination, with two branches of an electric circuit containing,` incandescent lamps or other working devices arranged in series, of artificial resistances and opposing regulator or motor magnets forinserting more or less of such resistances in either of said branches, circuit-closing devices, and magnets or helices included in the branches of the circuit and operating to direct the current through either one of the motor-magnets or both simultaneously, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, with a circuit divided into two or lnore branches and incandescent lamps or other working devices in series in said branches, of a rheostat included in each branch, having two movable contact-arms, regulating mechanism for shifting 011e of the arms of each rheostat independently and according to the resistance or strength of current in its branch, and a connection between the other arms, causing them to move in unison, as set forth.

4. The combination, with an electric circuit divided into branches, of incandescent lamps or other working devices included in seriesin said branches, balancing devices, substantially asherein set forth, an independent idle branch, and circuit-closing magnets in each workingbranch, adapted to substitute the idle branch for a workingbranch in case of au interruption ofthe latter, as set forth.

JOSEPH A. POWERS. Vitnesses:

Ronin. F. GAYLORD,

FRANK E. HARTLEY.

ICO 

